Nevada Legislature Passes Land Transfer Resolution

China Mountain is just one of the many hidden gems of Nevada that the Legislature wants Congress to hand over to the state. Photo by Kirk Peterson.

In a truly unfortunate turn of events, Senate Joint Resolution 1 has passed the Nevada State Senate and Assembly. We want to thank the countless supporters who have written and called their representatives, attended hearings and rallies, and submitted letters to the editor. We are sure your efforts made our legislators think twice about voting for the resolution but unfortunately turning over public lands to the state has now become a strict partisan issue. SJR1 passed on pure party lines with Democrats opposing the measure and Republicans supporting.

Although SJR1 holds no real weight - only Congress can transfer over public lands to state control - Congressman Amodei has recently introduced SJR1 in Congress with HR1484...a chilling reminder that the battle for public lands will be happening in Congress.

Mother of Nevada Wilderness Recognized for Her Lifetime Efforts

From Jarbidge to Wovoka, Marge Sill has been a longtime advocate for permanent protection of Nevada's wildest places.

Please join us as we congratulate "Mother of Nevada Wilderness" and founding Board Member of Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Marge Sill, as she is awarded the prestigious Virginia Cain Progressive Leadership Award by the Democratic Party of Washoe County for all the work she has done for public lands and wilderness conservation in Nevada. The award will take place at a brunch event on Sunday, May 31. Northern Nevada U.S. Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto will also speak to address environmental issues.

Given the effort by the majority in the Nevada Legislature to wrest our beloved public lands out of public hands, the Democratic Party of Washoe County thought this was the perfect time to call attention to this critical issue by honoring one of Northern Nevada's most respected advocates for public land. We couldn't agree more!

You're Invited: Upcoming Wilderness Meeting

Join us to celebrate Wovoka Wilderness, "a magical place for dreamers."Photo by Kurt Kuznicki, quote by Evan Pelligrini

Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness and the Sierra Club's California/Nevada Wilderness Committee for our co-wilderness meeting to celebrate the new Wovoka and Pine Forest Range wilderness areas, discuss places still in need of protection, and highlight upcoming opportunities for wilderness stewardship in the region. Lunch will be provided. This is a great opportunity to learn about current conservation issues in Northern Nevada and to meet fellow wilderness enthusiasts. We hope you will join us!

Updates in Wild Nevada

Activists In Gold Butte!

The love for Gold Butte remains strong. Photo by Jose Witt

Ten activists joined us for an advocacy training weekend in Gold Butte last weekend. Hailing from different backgrounds yet united in their love for this stunning corner of Southern Nevada, this passionate group learned more about why this area is so deserving of protection and how they can step up in the community to advocate for its permanent protection. From exploring petroglyphs and historic sites, the group reignited their love for this area and are more excited than ever to hit the ground running to participate in grassroots advocacy efforts. Want to join the fun? Contact Jesy Simons to learn how you can get more involved: jesy@nevadawilderness.org.

The Great Community Clean Up

Friends volunteers join community efforts to beautify the Truckee Meadows.Photo by Richie Bednarski

We partnered with Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful during their Great Community Clean-Up on May 2nd. Eleven volunteers hiked into Mt. Rose Wilderness to pull 1,500 invasive Musk Thistles, dismantle an illegal campfire ring, and remove trash. Volunteers also got a great view of the National Guard removing abandoned cars from the area with their Chinook Helicopters! To view the photos from the event, click here.

Trailhead Makeover at Bridge Mountain

Volunteers all smiles after a job well done. Photo by Minas Mkhitarian

We teamed up with Friends of Red Rock Canyon earlier this month to make improvements to the Bridge Mountain trailhead, one of the many entrances into the beautiful Rainbow Mountain Wilderness. Eleven volunteers installed wooden posts to delineate a parking area, restored a section of vehicle trespass, and installed brand new trailhead signage. It's the perfect weather to check out this beautiful corner of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and enjoy the improvements to the trailhead. To view the photos, click here!

Upcoming Events

South

June 4: Wild Speaker SeriesThis month, Nevadans for Cultural Preservation will join us to talk about cultural resources in southern Nevada. Artifacts will be on display while they discuss the history of these resources and the ethics associated with them. Join us at the REI in Boca Park at 7pm. For more info, click here.

May 2: Bridge Mountain Trail Head Makeover Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness and Friends of Red Rock Canyon as we restore vehicle incursions into Rainbow Mountain Wilderness and install new trailhead signage. Access to the trailhead will involve a 3 mile drive up a very rugged dirt road. We have 6 seats reserved to transport volunteers, but if you have a jeep or similar off-road machine and would like to drive to the trailhead, let us know! RSVP here or by e-mailing Minas at minas@nevadawilderness.org

North

May 30 and June 13: Mt. Rose Invasive Weed RemovalJoin Friends of Nevada Wilderness as we help protect the Truckee River watershed.This year we will have AmeriCorps volunteers who will be working in Mount Rose Wilderness throughout the month of May and June - be sure to join them while they are in the field. For the May 30th project click here an for the June 13th project click here.

June 3 & 17: Mid-Weed Invasive Weed RemovalThis is a great project for those who work on weekends or who want to avoid the weekend rush on Hunter Creek Trail. Help us remove invasive weeds in beautiful Mt. Rose Wilderness to help native plants flourish. For the June 3rd project RSVP here and for the June 17th project RSVP here.

June 5-7: National Trails DayJoin Friends of Nevada Wilderness, the Bureau of Land Management, Friends of Black Rock, and the Nevada Outdoor School and while we work to improve Steven's Camp and the Upper High Rock Canyon Tail for National Trails Day. For more info and to RSVP click here.

June 12-14: High Rock Development Removal Join us for a weekend in High Rock Canyon to remove an old development. We will be some of the first people entering the canyon on opening weekend following seasonal closures so opportunities for wildlife viewing will be abundant. More information and how to sign up, click here.To contact our Northern Nevada trip leader directly, e-mail Richie at richie@nevadawilderness.org.

Become a Member Today

"Philanthropy is the rent we pay for the joy and privilege we have for our space on this earth" - Jerold Panas

Become a member of Friends of Nevada Wilderness and support clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and opportunities for people to get out and enjoy the wonders of nature. Your generous donation will go towards getting volunteers on the ground in wilderness areas, advocating for keeping public lands in public hands, and providing critical protection for Nevada's wilderness areas. Membership levels begin at $25 per year.

Thank you!

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